GQEBERHA: Australia’s Scott Boland took two wickets in consecutive balls as South Africa closed on 20-2 on Sunday. Rain restricted the second Test’s opening day to 12.2 overs at St George’s Park.
Boland bowled Aiden Markram for 11 before wicketkeeper Alex Carey caught David Bedingham off the next delivery. Both wickets fell with the total on 12 runs.
Australia entered the match with a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series after winning the opener in Durban by 214 runs. After choosing to field, captain Pat Cummins used four fast bowlers.
Boland returned to the side for spinner Nathan Lyon and finished with two wickets for five runs from 3.2 overs. Meanwhile, debutant opener Marques Ackerman remained unbeaten on five runs from 32 balls.
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Captain Temba Bavuma survived the hat-trick delivery and reached four runs off 13 balls. Josh Hazlewood maintained pressure with five overs costing three runs, including two maidens.
Mitchell Starc conceded 10 runs from three overs, while Cummins allowed two runs from his only over. However, persistent rain prevented Australia from building on Boland’s early breakthroughs.
Umpires eventually abandoned the remaining play, leaving Ackerman and Bavuma unbeaten at the close. Boland dismissed two batters in consecutive deliveries before rain ended play, leaving South Africa at 20-2.
